Monte Carlo Rally
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Can't see that Ostberg woe helping Evans out - he's limping through this run. Possibly brings the Hyundai's into play, though.
In comes Neuville and he goes third fastest with a time of 24m44.0s - he gains 41.8s on Ostberg in one go! Excellent stuff.
The Citroen man's engine had to be rebooted on that stage, and it shows - he lost a whole heap of time.
Has that offered a reprieve for Evans, or let in the flying Hyundais? Sordo was looking good to usurp Meeke as quickest, but is dropping time at the point of the run that has caught out a few drivers.
Has that offered a reprieve for Evans, or let in the flying Hyundais? Sordo was looking good to usurp Meeke as quickest, but is dropping time at the point of the run that has caught out a few drivers.
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Ostberg ends a difficult run. "Very lucky," he says, before complaining about engine problems. In the circumstances, "the time is very good".
That's changing all the time, though. In comes Mikkelsen, who matched Ogier blow for blow throughout the stage and pips his world champion team-mate by a second!
With the first few times in, here's a quick look at the provisional stage order:
1 Meeke 24m32.9s
2 Kubica +8.5s
3 Latvala +18.4s
4 Ogier +38.4s
5 Loeb +48.3s
6 Chardonnet +1m08.5s
1 Meeke 24m32.9s
2 Kubica +8.5s
3 Latvala +18.4s
4 Ogier +38.4s
5 Loeb +48.3s
6 Chardonnet +1m08.5s
"I don't understand," says an excited Latvala, who seems confused that a conservative approach has reaped dividends. "I really enjoyed this stage. We had a really good stage."
"I do not intend to risk too much," he finishes...
"I do not intend to risk too much," he finishes...
Latvala finishes in 24m51.3s - that's 20s quicker than Ogier.
A good run indeed for the Finn, who cuts his team-mate's lead to about 43s.
A good run indeed for the Finn, who cuts his team-mate's lead to about 43s.
Some good splits being recorded by the Hyundais of Neuville and Sordo. Quicker than Mikkelsen, with Ostberg a long way off the lot.
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Ogier is in, his time is 25m11.3s.
The reaction...
"It's a very, very beautiful stage but we went for the safe option."
He denies there was ever a big moment.
The reaction...
"It's a very, very beautiful stage but we went for the safe option."
He denies there was ever a big moment.
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Loeb is swamped as he completes the stage end in a disappointing 25m21.2s. The media scrum is incessant.
"I was very careful in the middle, it was not the best stage," says the slick-shod ace.
"I was very careful in the middle, it was not the best stage," says the slick-shod ace.
Interesting...Latvala comes through the fourth split 13.4s quicker than Ogier. This could be a very handy run for the Finn.
Loeb's going to be much unhappier than Meeke, because the erstwhile rally leader was about a minute slower than his team-mate at the fourth split.
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Meeke comes through and is quicker than Kubica with a 24m32.9s. The Citroen man is shaking his head.
"The reason why I shook my head is I had a spin in the stage, I lost 10 or 12 seconds."
We knew that, Kris. But quite a few people are having issues of their own!
"The reason why I shook my head is I had a spin in the stage, I lost 10 or 12 seconds."
We knew that, Kris. But quite a few people are having issues of their own!
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"Very difficult because we have a handbrake failure," Kubica reveals.
"On snow and ice without the handbrake it was quite difficult. I have also some issue with the gearbox..
"There was much more ice than I expected," he finishes ominously.
Now we wait for the rest...
"On snow and ice without the handbrake it was quite difficult. I have also some issue with the gearbox..
"There was much more ice than I expected," he finishes ominously.
Now we wait for the rest...
Kubica doesn't hang around, he's already through as well.
It's 24m41.4s - one minute faster than Chardonnet.
It's 24m41.4s - one minute faster than Chardonnet.
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"It was more or less the same as every year. It was a little bit difficult," he admits, saying that a few km of ice made things tricky.
Right, Chardonnet has successfully made it to the end of the stage.
Let's try and make sense of this in a moment.
Let's try and make sense of this in a moment.
Crash
Really difficult to call at the moment...as Loeb is the latest to drop a chunk of time!
He was 25s up on Meeke, he's now 52s slower.
What on Earth is going on? Could the ice be wreaking havoc?
He was 25s up on Meeke, he's now 52s slower.
What on Earth is going on? Could the ice be wreaking havoc?
Crash
WRC radio reporting that Ogier has had a moment just before the place Meeke had his own spin.
We wait to see what impact that has on timing...
We wait to see what impact that has on timing...
Just comparing Loeb and Ogier (which is a wonderful treat, it has to be said) and the rally leader is very conservative in comparison to the recovering Loeb.
At the third split, Loeb's about 24s quicker! Latvala's taking a few seconds out of his team-mate as well. At this rate the lead will be just under a minute going into the final day.
At the third split, Loeb's about 24s quicker! Latvala's taking a few seconds out of his team-mate as well. At this rate the lead will be just under a minute going into the final day.
Now...has Kubica had a moment? Reports coming in that he's now provisionally dropped time on the spinning Citroen...which would indicate a sizable delay.
Crash
Meeke has had a spin, 22km in. Not likely to ruin his rally but it'll delay his attempt to get into the points again.
We know that everyone down to Evans has started the stage, but we're lacking split times for the likes of Ostberg and Neuville.
It's very close between Kubica and Loeb at the moment, with just three seconds separating the ex-F1 man and the nine-time champion at the third split.
It's very close between Kubica and Loeb at the moment, with just three seconds separating the ex-F1 man and the nine-time champion at the third split.
Loeb's definitely more comfortable than Meeke in the pursuit of the pace-setting Kubica.
The Pole's at 10m26.3s by the third split, with Meeke 28s slower at the same point.
Mikkelsen is the quickest VW at the first split.
The Pole's at 10m26.3s by the third split, with Meeke 28s slower at the same point.
Mikkelsen is the quickest VW at the first split.
Latvala's not going to take a massive chunk out of Ogier at this rate but there's a long way to go on this run.
He's 0.8s quicker than the leader at the first split.
He's 0.8s quicker than the leader at the first split.
Further on the run and Meeke is 23s down on Kubica at the second split. We do now have some times for Chardonnet, but he's not our main focus (sorry!).
Here's Ogier's first split - and it's nothing special. We're expecting the leader to take it easy on this tricky run but he's 11s slower than Loeb and Ogier at the first splt.
News just quickly on the WRC2 lead battle - Koci dropped time to Lefebvre on the last stage, dropping to 11s behind the Frenchman, but that was not aided by what he thought was a puncture, but was a driveshaft problem.
Kubica clocks in at the second split at 7m31.9s, we'll focus on these guys before switching to the trio of Volkswagens.
The maps suggest Chardonnet is still moving, just not logging split times.
Loeb has come through a fraction quicker than Kubica, but Meeke is about 16s slower than both of them.
Loeb has come through a fraction quicker than Kubica, but Meeke is about 16s slower than both of them.
We've got a split time for Kubica (3m56.2s), nothing for Chardonnet.
Could that be an early SS12 casualty?
Could that be an early SS12 casualty?
Chardonnet started this stage at 14.49 UK time so we should have split times before too long.
Kubica's run kicked off a couple of minutes later.
Kubica's run kicked off a couple of minutes later.
We have lift off on SS12!
Both Chardonnet and Kubica are on the stage. And so it begins...
Both Chardonnet and Kubica are on the stage. And so it begins...
Twitter
Word from Elfyn Evans' Twitter account reveals his issue on SS11 that has potentially ruined his bid for fourth on this rally.
"We hit a wall and damaged the rear suspension on SS11. @danielbarritt and I made a temporary repair so let's hope it holds through SS12 #WRC"
"We hit a wall and damaged the rear suspension on SS11. @danielbarritt and I made a temporary repair so let's hope it holds through SS12 #WRC"
Slight delay to the start of this one, which we expected to kick off at 14.43 UK time.
Updates will not be as frenetic as they were on SS11, but that's about the only drawback to a long stage on the Monte.
Come on Jari-Matti - journalistic neutrality aside, we REALLY want a final-day thriller.
Come on Jari-Matti - journalistic neutrality aside, we REALLY want a final-day thriller.
The stage we're waiting for might well be a cracker, but DAVID EVANS hasn't been entirely satisfied by his Monte experience.
"France might well make the best rally drivers in the world, but it's rubbish at toilets. The absence of a seat in the media centre facilities caused much consternation among the Fourth Estate assembled in Gap..."
All glamour, Evans. All glamour...
He’s not wrong about quick either; if you get the chance to watch any onboard, look out for the tree-lined run up to St Geniez.
Hello rev-limiter…
Hello rev-limiter…
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We’ll now hand over to Citroen star Ostberg, who informed AUTOSPORT that this 23-mile stretch of stage from Sisteron to Thoard is one of his favourites of the season.
"It's a Tarmac stage, I don't know why I like it!
"It's not just one of the best on the Monte, it's one of the best of the year. It's fantastic, it's so quick and then at the top you get the chance to really drive the car sideways.
"You know I like to drive the car sideways… maybe this is why I like it so much."
"It's a Tarmac stage, I don't know why I like it!
"It's not just one of the best on the Monte, it's one of the best of the year. It's fantastic, it's so quick and then at the top you get the chance to really drive the car sideways.
"You know I like to drive the car sideways… maybe this is why I like it so much."
By: AUTOSPORT staff, Scott Mitchell
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